Bleeding Hearts: A Drabble Series
by SiriusBalisticPretzels
Summary: *Possible spoilers for chapter 614 and beyond* Drabble series dedicated to NejiTen. Ratings may vary. *Chapter Seven* Grief comes in stages. Sometimes all at once, sometimes over a many of years. However, one thing remains constant, it always hurts.
1. Chapter 1

***Possible spoilers for chapter 614 and beyond***

**So this is a drabble series dedicated both to NejiTen and Neji himself. Some of them will be connected some will be random. They will vary in length as well as time placement (I will have stories both before and after Neji's death). The majority will probably be in Tenten's POV or omniscient all knowing, but there will probably be a few Neji POV stories thrown about as well.**

* * *

.:Forgetful Memories:.

She was forgetting.

Tenten's eyes screwed shut as she attempted to clear her mind. To allow herself to focus solely on him.

Her hands twisted in the black performance capris she was wearing. The dull tips of her fingers dug into the clothed flesh just below her knee caps. Her breathing was ragged and her shoulders shook in barely controlled frustration. Tenten's eyes began to burn beneath her eye lids.

How could she possibly forget him? It had barely been seven years and already the memories she had treasured so dearly were fading. Blurring together.

The last pieces she had of Neji were slipping through her fingers faster than she thought possible.

The last pieces of herself.

Her hands flew to her knotted hair and pulled harshly at the roots, resisting the urge to smack herself over the head.

She curled in on herself as a sob broke from her lips.

"Neji, please…" tears began flowing from her closed eyes running messily over her cheeks and forearms, "Neji, please don't leave me."

Her voice cracked as she began to rock back and forth trying to draw forth her memories.

The slight catch of skin as his calloused fingers ran lightly over the back of her hand, the warmth of his body that radiated off him like the heat of an open flame, the soft tenor of his voice, the cool press of his lips over hers….

The memories faded in and out in a disjointed manner leaving her scrounging for the smallest details.

The small jump of the muscle in his jaw as he held back a smile, the serene look he got in his eyes when the sun rose each day, the light twitch in his fingers whenever he was about to attack, the barely there blush he got when she kissed his cheek each morning in a private greeting.

The familiarity of his face had eventually been replaced by the photos that had helped her remember after all this time, but it was never the same.

His eyes never seemed as captivating in her mind as they had once been, though the ghost of the feeling still resonated through her chest each time she thought of them. His hair was never the same shade. His reserved smile and arrogant smirk were never just right, merely passable.

He was never the Neji she had once known, rather a hopeless copy swirling ceaselessly through her mind to quell the gnawing ache.

Her human mind could not retain the perfect details of his appearance. There was never a flawless recall of their time spent together, just bits and pieces that seemed to come and go as they pleased.

She tried.

She tried so hard.

She would sit for hours some days just thinking of him, tweaking the differences until she felt satisfied. She had begun writing down everything she could remember about him. His peculiar habits, practiced speech mannerisms, small displays of affection, his facial expressions, everything, she wanted to remember it all.

She was determined to remember him, no matter the cost.

"Neji, don't leave me," she gasped trying to draw in a full breath, but her chest constricted under the pressure.

"Don't…" she whispered, "not again."

* * *

"_Ne ne Neji," Tenten jumped her chest bumping against his back as her arms looped over his shoulders._

_He cocked his head to the side coming in close contact with her face. His eyes closed for a moment too long as her soft breath washed over the bridge of his nose._

"_Yes?" His eyes opened enough to take in her parted lips and bright brown eyes._

_She leaned to the side her nose pressing into the hair just above his ear._

"_I just might be in love with you," she whispered._

_His shoulders tensed for a fraction of a second as her proximity seemed to crash over him. His chest felt tight._

"_You don't have to say anything right now," her voice slightly more reserved as she drew back just enough for him to look at her clearly again. "Just thought I'd let you know. Just don't forget, okay?"_

_Neji's features relaxed and he leaned just the slightest bit back into her hold not catching the warm smile and glimmer of happiness in her eyes._

"_Till the day I die," he promised._

* * *

**I want to take a moment here to dole out my condolences to all you who lost a ship. Not just NejiTen, but any ship. I know with the most recent chapter and the hints of NaruHina right after Neji death probably just made everything worse for those of you who don't ship them. So I apologize, you have my sympathy and understanding because while I do ship NaruHina I have shipped each of them with different people at one point and know it also sucks when the people you want to end up together don't (not saying NaruHina is concrete, as it is anything but, however just thought I'd throw that out there).**

**I will take drabble suggestions, however that doesn't necessarily mean I will use them (but all suggestion will no doubt help when inspiration is lacking). **

**Please let me know what you think and enjoy the rest of the drabbles to come.**

**Long live the memory of Neji.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Possible spoilers read at your own risk.**

**Forgot the disclaimer last time- I don't own Naruto.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

.: Regret of the things left unsaid:.

She was stupid.

Tenten knew should have told him sooner. She had almost done it once.

Now she wished she had finished that sentence all those years ago.

* * *

_She was just about ready to collapse from the heat and exhaustion from yet another ridiculously rigorous session with Lee and Gai-sensei. The youthful fools were going to be the death of her, she just knew it. _

_She let out a hefty sigh slinging her arm up and griping tightly on Neji's shoulder to keep herself upright, he merely gave her a glance before looking back to Gai and Lee going through the next round of kick and punch defenses._

"_Gahhhh! They're insane," Tenten hung her head in exasperation as she took a large gulp of water._

"_Hmm," Tenten smiled as she looked up to see the smirk pulling at the corner of Neji's lips._

_She let go of his shoulder and plopped to the ground beside him and went through a few routine stretches, every once on a while she would spare a glance back up at him. His attention remained on the two still out practicing with tireless enthusiasm, despite the copious amounts of sweat drowning both of them. _

_She stood and stretched her arms above her head smiling. Some things never got old._

"_Mahh, I better get home. I've got a few things to pick up at the market anyways," she waved her hand in an overly dramatic manner towards Gai and Lee who reciprocated the gesture just as grand, if not more so. She turned and gave Neji a much smaller wave to which he just nodded his assent._

_She almost tripped over her own feet walking out of the clearing, much to her embarrassment. She continued lazily through the forest until reaching the exit to the grounds. Her mind was elsewhere running over the various chores to complete and the grocery list to fill. _

_She wandered through the market until the sun had set well over the tree tops and the dim street lights set the dusty roads in a calm glow. She waved occasionally to the shop owners closing for the day as she headed on her way home._

_She was around fifteen minutes from her apartment when she saw him walking her way._

"_Neji," she called out waving her free hand._

_He stared at her for only a moment and then began walking towards her._

"_What are you doing out?" she smiled up at him, marveling secretly in the way the yellow light washed over his delicate pale features. _

"_Hinata-sama needed ginger root for one of her healing salves and I offered to go in her stead," he looked off into the distance above her head back towards the fading lights of the market._

"_Oh, well I just came from the market and most off the shops are closed for the day._

_He looked back at her and frowned. "I see."_

"_I'm sure you might be able to find one open if you hurried," she shrugged dismissively. "Well, I'll be off. See you tomorrow Neji."_

_She walked away only to have him turn and fall in step beside her. She smiled to herself. _

_They walked together in companionable silence. _

"_Ah, Neji isn't the compound just down the road?" Tenten asked suddenly, pointing opposite of the way they were walking._

"_I'm in no hurry," he answered softly._

_Silence reigned yet again. Tenten felt her stomach turn in a pleasant, but nerve racking manner. A tingling sensation washed over her body._

"_Neji," she began just a block from her house. _

_He turned to look at her with a calm expression._

"_I…well I just wanted to say….." she stumbled dumbly over her words. _

_Only half a block to go._

"_Yes?" his eyebrows were raised as he watched her open and close her mouth._

"_Ah, right….well…"_

_Five hundred feet left._

"_You know…I don't really know how to say this…" she laughed looking at him with a warm and rather flustered smile._

"_I can see that," he smirked in an almost playful manner and she slapped his arm._

"_Jerk," she laughed again._

_She could see her apartment building just up ahead._

"_I don't know if I should tell you…." She said suddenly the smile faded and her pace slowed. _

_She stood with him under the street light right beside the staircase to her building._

"_Tenten," his voice was slightly reprimanding in his tone._

_She spared him a pleading glance._

"_I want to tell you that I ….well that I…..for some time now I been thinking that I am …..and well I just didn't say anything because….well because you're a good friend—my best friend— and I can't lose a friend for something like…. Something like this," she looked at him periodically through her mutterings seeing that he obviously didn't understand._

"_Tenten," his arm brushed over her shoulder gently and her gaze snapped to his alluring white eyes. "Speak clearly."_

"_I…I lov….I'll always have your back." _

_She couldn't say it._

_He frowned and regarded her with a hard searching stare before looking away and sighing, a ghost of a smile on his lips._

"_Aa," he looked back at her._

_They stood under the light staring at each other for what seemed like too long and then again not long enough. _

"_I better get inside," Tenten gave a hollow laugh looking down at her hands. "Goodnight, Neji."_

_She turned slowly and walked out from under the light and was engulfed in the dull darkness. _

"_Tenten," his tone was almost urgent as his hand gripped her upper arm._

_She looked back at him and in a movement that was too quick to follow his lips pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek. He pulled back only a fraction, his mouth resting close to her ear._

"_Me as well, I'll always watch your back," he pulled fully away from her taking two step back. Her hand flew to her cheek. "Goodnight, Tenten."_

_She watched in silence as his tall form passed through the light again and walked further down the street and around the corner out of sight. _

"_Neji…"_

* * *

It was only three months later that war had been declared.

The moment they shared was never brought up again, but Tenten had formed a habit of telling him that she would stand by him in combat…always have his back. He would always just look back at her with eyes that melted her heart and repeat her words back.

But she didn't have his back when it really counted.

When he had needed her the most, she was nowhere in sight.

Now sitting here staring numbly at the stone that was once her best friend, her most precious person. She couldn't help but hate herself, just a little bit.

She would visit him every chance she could now.

She would sit and stare at his name carved into the granite. Trace the grooves with her fingers.

And in the silence that permeated through the cemetery she would whisper those words that he would never hear. Words that she would never know the answer too.

Word she would regret never having the courage and now the chance to tell him.

"I love you, Neji."

* * *

**What do you think?**

**This one is more like a one-shot than a drabble...consider it a gift just getting out of the holiday and everything!**

**Speaking of which HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE! **

**Please leave a review and any suggestions you might have:)**

**P.S. Was anyone else pissed at kishi's blantant disregard for Tenten in the last chapter, she was like a smudge in the background, I mean what the hell man!? (Sorry just had to get that out there)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

.:The Sun and Moon:.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Please tell the story, Setsu hasn't heard it yet and you tell it best. Oh please! Oh please, oh please!" A small girl of ten with oddly round black eyes flounced to her grandfather swaying back and forth with his slowly rocking chair. Her small friend Setsu hot on her heels.

The wizened old man smiled softly to himself knowing just the story his granddaughter was asking to hear. He looked to the bright sun shining high up in the sky and was reminded of _her_ glistening brown eyes.

"You mean the story of the Sun and the Moon Warriors. It's a rather sad story, are you sure?" He smiled kindly down at the two young girls.

"But it's a love story! So beautiful and Setsu just has to hear it," she pulled eagerly at her friends arm sitting them both down at her grandfather's feet.

"Alright," the man in the chair took a deep breath and began.

_Long ago, in a land wrought with war, there were two warriors both fierce and courageous. One male, tall and elegant, with eyes pale and mysterious as the moon and a woman, honest and strong, her hazel irises shone bright like the morning sun. _

_Apart they were formidable, together they were unstoppable. Their teamwork was legendary. Many knew of them, her warm smile and his silent nature, but few truly knew the warriors. And only one knew of their secret love for each other._

_The third member of their team was sworn to secrecy. He was told that the truth would be revealed when the time was right, but for that moment in time it would remain hidden. You see the moon warrior came from a very prestigious family who did not take kindly to outsiders so they could not speak their love aloud, in fear that they would be separated._

_They were together for almost a year when the news of an impending war was brought to their homeland. Both the warriors left to fight for protection of the ones that they loved dearly. And they fought valiantly. However, in the chaos of war they were separated and tragedy struck._

_The warrior of the moon, in a moment of unselfish bravery, sacrificed his life to save the lives of his precious people. The pale reflection in his eyes dulled and flickered out. Consumed entirely by the darkness._

_The sun warrior was crippled by the death of her other half._

_You see the sun and the moon are complimentary. Without one the other cannot function properly. And eventually, without the calm reassuring presence of the moon, the sun will burn too brightly and go out. _

_Even years after the death of her beloved moon, she still could not move on. Her strength faulted and her kind smile turned cold. No one could truly understand the depth of her pain. No one but her remaining teammate who had kept the secret of her love all those years ago._

_He understood her pain, but was powerless to help her and eventually she too left this world. And the teammate who had loved both the sun and the moon so dearly, was left alone. He would visit them each day forever dreaming that where ever they had ended up they were together._

_He promised to never let the story of their untold love die. He would tell of their love with a fiery passion never letting the flame dwindle in the passing time._

_He would forever watch over them and in return they watched over him every night and every day._

_Because they were the sun and the moon and he was the lush green earth that would forever draw them together._

Only the creaking of the rocking chair on the porch could be heard.

"Why did the moon have to leave if he loved the sun so much?" Setsu asked in a quiet voice.

"There are some things in this world that we would do anything for and the moon gave his life to protect one of those things," the grandfather stated wisely.

"But he loved the sun…." her eyes were glistening.

"Yes, he did. He loved her very much," his eyes became distant.

"Did the moon and the sun ever meet again?" his granddaughter inquired leaning forward on her hands and knees. She was always so full of energy.

"I would like to think so. Remember there are always times each month where we can see the sun and the moon in the sky at the same time," he commented with a light smile.

His granddaughter jumped up immediately rejuvenate by the statement.

"Of course! Their love is undying and burns brightly in the fiery passions of youth," she giggled gleefully, grabbing Setsu's hand. "Thanks again, Grandpa Lee!" she waved frantically as she dragged her friend off.

Lee stood shakily from his chair and walked to the porch railing looking out at the glaring sun and the translucent outline of the moon in the clear blue sky.

"Your love truly was youthful, Neji, Tenten."

* * *

**So this story was told from and aged!Lee's POV. I like Lee's character, he is very kind hearted and I think he loves Neji and Tenten very much so that is kind of why I made this story.**

**I had this I idea awhile ago of the story of Lee telling future generations what seems like a tragic fairy tale but is really the story of Neji and Tenten.**

**Anyways I hope you liked it. Let me know your thoughts.**

**By the way if you are unaware I have posted a happier NejiTen story that doesn't deal with death at all more like Neji being frustrated with his feelings hahah. It's called distractions if you're interested!**

**Until next time:)**


	4. Chapter 4

.:Some Things Are Forever:.

"Ne, ne, sensei! Do you have somebody that you love?"

The question caught Tenten off guard. She glanced back at her three twelve year old students with a light smile. The bright blonde kuniochi of the group bounced joyously on her heels as the other two boys continued pulling weeds from the vast garden they were standing in. She briefly noted how the two boys had slowed in their own work and cocked their heads to the side in curiosity.

"Why do you ask, Setsuna?" She turned to face all her students, still pulling up a few of the weeds nearby.

"Naoki and Kazou," she pointed to her male teammates, "and I were just wondering because Lee-sensei says that you are, but he never says much when we ask."

Tenten frowned a bit, but it quickly turned into an exasperated smile as she pictured Lee declaring her _"undying love that_ _transcended even the vast boundaries of youth with its eternal flames of passion"_.

"I love many people, Lee and all of my other friends. I even love you brats," she snickered as Setsuna put on a sour face.

"Sensei!" she whined loudly. "That's not what I meant. I mean are you _in love_ with someone. There's a big difference," she flicked the disheveled strands of her lengthy hair back over her shoulder.

Tenten was quiet for a moment.

"Yes," she stated softly her eyes drifted up towards the sky. "For a very long time."

Tenten looked back at her team to see Setsuna glowing, a wide smile stretched across her face and her vibrant green eyes alight with excitement. Naoki stood up straight his dull blue eyes obscured only slightly by his lengthy black hair, his calculative gaze narrowed and then widened as he too looked up at the sky and then back to her in silent understanding. Perceptive kid. Kazou sat sprawled out in the grass his curled brown hair whipping carelessly around his head as he watched with interest, listening intently.

"Does he love you back?" Setsuna asked her hands clasped in front of her chest.

Tenten just smiled.

"Finish your work and I'll take you to meet him," she ordered her students turning back to her own cluster of weeds.

Setsuna whirled around pulling weeds left and right. Kazou groaned softly turning over on to his hands and knees. Naoki stood silently for another moment before he too turned and began pulling weeds again.

* * *

"Can we go? Can we go?" Setsuna pulled on Tenten's arm her green eyes wide and pleading.

"I suppose so," Tenten answered slowly.

Her small cluster of students walked beside her as she continued at a calm pace through the village towards the training fields.

"Eh, the training grounds?" Setsuna sounded disappointed. "I thought we were going to meet the one you're in love with?"

Tenten placed a calming hand atop Setsuna's head. "We are, have patience."

They reached the third training grounds in a relatively short amount of time. They passed through a small cluster of trees bringing them to a vast clearing. Tenten walked forward up towards the large black marble stone at the far end. Naoki looked back up towards the sky as his pace slowed. Setsuna looked slightly perplexed and Kazou looked around with a minutely confused expression as well.

They reached the stone and the three twelve year olds could make out the hundreds, no thousands of tiny names carved into it.

"I-I don't understand," Setsuna said after a moment watching the back of her jounin sensei.

Tenten motioned for them to come closer. She pointed to a singular name carved into the black rock.

_Neji Hyuuga_

"This is the man that I love," she told them with a soft smile gracing her lips.

Setsuna looked back from the name to her teacher. "Neji Hyuuga?"

Tenten nodded.

It was silent.

"B-but this is a me-memorial," Setsuna struggled to string together her words.

"He died during the fourth shinobi war probably a year or two after you were all born," Tenten's fingers grazed over the name.

"What was he like?" Naoki asked suddenly. Tenten's eyes brightened a bit.

"A gentleman," she laughed. "He was very kind and strong. My trusted teammate," she smiled at each of them.

"And did he love you too?" Setsuna rubbed at her eyes looking hopefully at her sensei.

"He did, very much."

"Sensei…"Kazou began slowly. "Why are you still in love with him after all this time?"

It was silent once again. Wind swept through the forest blowing loose leaves about with its force. In the sky a startled flock of birds twittered excitedly as they flew off into the distance.

"There are some things in life that can never be replaced. When you cherish something with all your heart it can never truly leave you, even when the physical part of it is gone," she closed her eyes gently. A vision of his long chestnut brown hair, pure white eyes, and that comfortingly familiar smirk pulling at the corner of his thin lips flashed across her eyes. "There is always something that stays with you, forever."

**What did you think?**

**It occurred to me that Neji probably would not have a proper burial considering he is one among the thousands lost in the war. Also the fact that Chapter 615 opens say the battle field becomes Neji's grave, all that considered he would most likely have his name carved upon a memorial rather than have an actual grave….which depressed me, but inspired this.**

**I have the next story all written out (actually I wrote it before this one) it just needs a bit of revision and it should be posted in the next day or two.**

**Let me know your thoughts or possible story ideas.**

**Until next time.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Just an idea that came to me.**

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

.:Haunting:.

"You should not sleep so late," the soft tenor penetrated the silence of the hushed room.

Tenten's eyes clenched tightly shut as she burrowed further into her warm blankets. Stray bands of light filtered through the closed blinds bathing the dull room in obscure amounts of light. She turned towards her door and squinted over her comforter and through her disheveled brown hair. A tall figure leaned casually against the open door to her bedroom.

"Neji," her voice came out in a crackled whine as her throated constricted over the words. She threw her head face down in the pillow and sighed loudly.

"Don' wanna get up," she mumbled. Tenten shifted back into the bed and took in his composed form once again with a tired smile that exuded a heavy sadness over the small room. "Not today."

"You cannot avoid your problems by hiding in your room, Tenten." Neji chided softly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I suppose your right," she commented. "It's worth a shot though," she snickered looking back at him as he granted her a slightly exasperated smile.

"Perhaps," he acquiesced.

"Neji," Tenten started suddenly drawing his attention, "would you….would you sit with me, just for a little bit." She propped up on her elbows shifting back towards the wall to make space on her narrow twin bed.

"Please," her voice was slightly strained and her eyes pleading.

"It would not be proper," he pause and took her broken expression, "but I suppose there are always exceptions."

He breathed out a hefty sigh and moved slowly across the small space. He rested on the top end of the mattress with one leg bent inward and the other resting against the floor. He leaned back against the pillows and the wall. Tenten moved herself up higher and wrapped her arms around his waist burying her face in his chest.

"I wish….I wish I could stay here with you forever," she whispered pressing herself closer to him.

Neji looked down at her, but was unable to catch her expression as her face nuzzled into his collarbone and was obscured by a curtain of messy brunette hair. He smiled to himself drawing his arm around her back, his hand absently playing with the ends of her hair.

"Tenten," he shifted to the side pulling from her grasp. "Staying here won't change the past," he smiled lightly placing her hands back on the mattress.

"Don't leave, not yet. Just a little more time, please," She begged shuffling clumsily over her blankets and on to her feet.

"I'll see you soon, Tenten." He wrapped his arms around her and for that brief moment she felt the anxiety flush from her body. "You know where to find me."

He pulled back and walked away as noiselessly as he had come.

Tenten lumbered over to her dresser and threw on a high necked shirt and cut off black pants. She raked a hand through her hair and sighed heavily to herself. Her fingers curled over the edge of her dresser and she shut her eyes tightly. She stood with her back locked and shoulder set firm as she tried to calm her beating heart. Slapping her cheeks none too gently she was able to bring back some of her sense. She whirled around sparing a glance over her shoulder at the bed she had just been lying in as she made her way out of her bedroom.

Her pace slowed as she neared her apartment door. Tenten's hand froze over the cool metal of the knob. Her breath came in and out in a shaking mantra. She pulled it open after only a moment and was greeted by the glaring sun and gentle breeze rustling through the trees.

She kept her gaze trained on the ground as she walked at a moderate pace through the lively market and past the bustling academy she had attended so many _many_ years ago. She smiled to herself as the vague memories of what once was washed over her.

She turned again making her way through a grassy clearing and down another dirt trail. Her pace began to slow a bit as she walked down the center path to her destination. She saw the vibrant colors of her former teammate standing just a few yards away.

Her heart felt tight in her chest.

"Tenten, I was most surprised to find myself here before you," an inviting smile spread across Lee's face but his tone was sullen when she finally reached him. Her gaze flickered briefly to the brightly colored flowers wrapped in parchment clenched just a touch too tightly in his hand.

"Ah…I got a late start today," Lee nodded lightly in response and looked down to the ground in front of him again.

"Ten years," his voice was as wistful as the passing wind. "It's been ten years already."

Tenten said nothing as she came to stand beside him. She gently took Lee's hand in hers and leaned heavily against his shoulder feeling as though her legs would give out at any moment. Her heart was beating fast in her chest as she looked down at the ground then up to the beautiful silver eyes of the man standing just two feet in front of her.

She wanted to reach out to him, but she only leaned further into Lee's solid form. Tears began to gather at the corner of her eyes. Neji stared back at her calmly as he had this morning as a small smile began to creep across his lips then, like the passing wind, he was gone and Tenten was left standing alone once more with Lee.

"He's been gone for ten years, yet it feels as though he's still standing right here with us," Lee commented absently placing the flowers down before the cold stone grave.

"_You know where to find me."_

Tenten's heart pounded against her chest and she couldn't help the sob that escaped from her lips. She knelt down and ran her hand over the neat engraving.

_Fly Freely_

_Neji Hyuuga_

* * *

**What'd you think?**

**Just want to point out hat at no point in this story and I promoting LeeTen...just wanted to put that out their. They are only close friends and former teammates in this story.**

**Personally I wouldn't call this my best one yet (It's kinda choppy in the text)….I had a really great concept it was just kind of hard to write it out. I'll probably come back and change it later….**

**For those who are confused by this story, Tenten was talking to….well it could really be anything. Such as a ghost or just something she made up in her subconscious. The point being Neji was never there in the first place. He's been dead for ten years.**

**On a better note FINALS WEEK IS OVER! Sorry just had to get that out there hahah.**

**Next chapter will be out probably tomorrow….it's all typed up and ready.**

**Thank you to all my reviewers, favoriters, and followers. It really makes my day to see that people enjoy my stories!**

**Until next time.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

.:Patience:.

"Satsu! Satsu!" Kana called after her daughter as she ran down the dirt roads and away from her side. "Satsu, what has mommy told you about running off?" she quickly grabbed her child's hand and held it tightly as to not let her escape again.

She tried to pull her daughter back towards the market, where they had been headed, but Satsu held her ground staring off towards the gate to the village. Kana looked off through the archway of trees surrounding them trying to find the source of her seven year olds gaze.

"Mama?" Kana looked down to her daughter who was still focusing on something in the distance.

"Yes?" she smiled warmly, albeit her growing impatience.

"She's there again," Satsu looked up at her mother with large green eyes and pointed.

Kana looked at where her daughter was pointing and drew in a slow steady breath. Her daughter's fixation was with the old woman on a bench near the entrance to the village. Satsu's fascination mirrored her own with a much younger woman sitting on that very same bench from when she was a young girl.

She still remembered the beautiful young woman with the hard brown eyes and tightly bound hair sitting with a stiff back against the hard stone staring off to the village entrance.

Waiting.

The woman who sat there now was a shadow of the beautiful adult she remembered. Her chocolate hair had faded over the many years and the lines in her face became more pronounced, her posture was no longer stiff and proud, but bent and tired. Her eyes remained the same though. After all these years they still held a kind of harsh understanding and crushing sadness in them.

She still watched the village gates, waiting.

"She's always there mama. Me and Ren saw her there yesterday and the day before and since like forever before that," Satsu made large sweeping motions with her hand to exaggerate the point. "Why is she always there mama?"

Kana was silent still watching the older woman with her hands folded neatly in her lap. The tell tale garb of a soldier she had worn all those years ago had been traded in for a long plain red dress and a grey apron. She had a knit white blanket draped over her shoulder to block out the early fall breeze sweeping through the forest.

She looked so tired.

"She's waiting," Kana said finally as Satsu began to pull on her hand.

"Waiting? What's she waiting for?" Kana glanced down at her daughter who was fidgeting restlessly on the heels of her feet.

"For the return of a person very precious to her," Kana spoke in soft tones recalling the stories she would listen and pass on to her other friends as a child about the 'pretty lady on the bench'.

"Precious…" her daughter rolled the word around for a minute. "Like you and daddy?"

"Like me and daddy," she repeated nodding her head lightly.

"Where did he go?" Satsu looked up at her mother with innocent curiosity.

Kana was quiet for a moment before reaching down and held her daughter's hand tightly in her own.

"He went to a very faraway place," she could hear the tales of the fourth great shinobi war her older cousin had gone on and on about in her youth ringing in her ears.

"Why doesn't she go after him?" Satsu's lips pouted in confusion.

"It's not time for them to meet again," she answered softly.

"Is she sick?" Kana's eyes got rounder as she looked back from the woman on the bench to her mother.

Kana frowned for a moment. "In a way, her heart is very sad…" Kana trailed off, "like when daddy went to Tea Country to sell some of his spices. Do you remember how mommy was very sad?"

Satsu nodded slowly.

"She's heart sick….but mommy got better when daddy came back and you weren't heart sick no more. So when her precious person comes back she won't be sick anymore, right?" Satsu gave her mother a brilliant smile.

Kana smiled softly off into the distance. She bent down and picked up her daughter and placed her comfortably against her hip.

"That's right, but for now she will wait until he can come home to her."

Kana spared one last glance at the woman on the bench and was surprised to find her staring right back with those deep brown eyes. A small smiled played at the corners of the older woman's lips. Kana's cheeks flushed in slight embarrassment, but she smile back and nodded her head in greeting.

She watched in silent fascination as a small white bird came to rest on the older woman's shoulder. The woman's smile spread just a little further as turned back towards the gates.

Waiting once more.

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**Comments?**

**This has heavy implications laced throughout. Nothing is definitively stated, but this is NejiTen so I'm sure you've worked things out. I thought I'd play on POV, just a bit of an experiment really. I actually like this one quite a bit. **

**I'm curious to know what you think. Let me know, leave a review.**

**I want to do a happy NejiTen story next.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm back!**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Enjoy.**

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.:Stages:.

**.:Denial:.**

Tenten pushed herself until she felt like her lungs were going to burst. Her body quaked with unsuppressed shivers as she watched Lee clutch something—someone—to his chest. Her steps slowed to a walk and when she finally reached her teammate her mind was blank and her body still.

She couldn't think.

All she could see was the light glaring of Lee's dark hair and dust sprinkled over the sweaty exposed skin of his neck. She idly watched as drops of sweat rolled off the clumped ends of his hair as his body shook restlessly.

She felt detached from reality.

All she could hear were the hollow sobs echoing over the cluttered battlefield. Her eyes flickered around to see so many were crying. Ugly fat tear rolled down their faces; their eyes and cheeks red and puffy with dirt and blood caking their skin.

She was confused.

"Lee," her head tilted to the side and her eyes narrowed with pity.

He was crying the loudest of everyone….everyone but her.

Why was he crying?

There was blood flowing freely over the dirt, splattered in gruesome designs.

Whose blood was it? There was so much.

Tenten's eyes focused on the cold pale hand hanging limply from the body clutched to Lee's body. Her mind subconsciously flashed back to having those same calloused fingers wrapped tightly around hers, but the thought died quickly.

Whose body was it? Certainly no one she knew.

Loud words of heroism and sacrifice were spoken and everyone resolve seemed to become stronger, but Tenten continued to watch Lee as he released the body. He took great care, gently placing it back on to the scarlet ground.

Whose sacrifice? Tenten didn't know.

Everyone stood up and began taking their positions, readying themselves for the next fight, but she stayed for another moment.

An almost familiar face met her gaze, but she couldn't recognize it. A barrage of images flooded her mind.

A soft smile.

A gentle touch.

A firm voice.

She pushed them away. She didn't know this person, she couldn't.

This person was dead.

She turned away, unconsciously committing the last time she saw that face to memory.

**.:Anger:.**

A rack of dishes flew from the counter and crashed over the tile floor.

"Tenten…"Her brown eyes flashed dangerously as she looked up at her teammate.

Lee stood hesitantly in the doorway of her kitchen. His hand were raised in an almost defensive manner as he seemed to contemplate coming closer.

"Shut up! Just shut up! I don't want to hear it," Tenten turned her back on Lee. Her fingers wrapped tightly around the edge of her sink and her shoulders set in a firm line.

She heard Lee take in a deep breath of air.

"Tenten, the memorial—"

"I'm not going to the stupid memorial! That idiot went and got himself killed, why should I feel sorry for him?" She spun around. "You tell me that, why should I feel sorry for him? Why should I pretend to be sad over an idiot who went and got himself killed?" She was all but screaming as she stomped towards Lee—narrowly avoiding the pile of broken dishes—and began jabbing an unforgiving finger in the black fabric hanging drably over his chest.

Lee looked at her with tears in his eyes.

"You don't mean that Tenten, I know you don't. You're just upset," he placed his hand on Tenten's shoulders that were now quivering uncontrollably.

"Upset?" she croaked trying to maintain the raging fire of anger that had burned in her gut just second before. "Why would I be upset over an idiot….I mean everything I say…everything…" she fisted her hands and weakly began hitting Lee in the chest.

Lee didn't try to stop her, but his hands tightened on her shoulders.

"Tenten, its okay to be angry and sad, but don't blame him. You know it's not his fault," Lee spoke in unusually soft tones.

"How is it not his fault? He….He left me….He's never coming back…" Tenten's hands stopped their attack and fell limply at her side. She didn't protest as Lee pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her and whispered watery reassurances to her.

"He's never coming back."

Tenten couldn't remember when she started crying.

**.:Depression:.**

Tenten felt numb as she stood beside Lee listening to all the names of the fallen being read. Her hair freely blew in the idly passing wind, but she couldn't feel the cold. She couldn't feel anything.

All she could think about was his pale face lying in the blood encrusted dirt, his long brown hair splayed out beneath him in disarray. The remnants of a smile etched beneath the lines of blood that had spilled from his lips.

She was jostled back into reality as Lee nudged her arm and she walked up with him, placing a white flower in front of the glimmering new monument erected for fallen heroes of the war. She walked slowly back to her place, Lee's hand ghosting over her back.

Hollow brown eyes followed the different shapes all clad in black make their way up to the stone. Some were tearful, others looked numb like her, some she couldn't read. All in black though, with the same white flower in their hand and a name on their mind.

Tenten felt herself being pulled from reality again, but was drawn out of it by the sound of a stifled sob just left of her. Absently she turned her head and was met with a teary eyed Hinata who was trying hard to remain composed, but was failing miserably.

Tenten's gaze turned down to her feet and she listened as the girl continued to muffle her quiet sobs for the rest of the memorial service.

When it was all over people slowly made their way from the grounds and went back to their houses to mourn in more private settings. Tenten stayed behind and Lee stood several paces behind her waiting until she was ready to leave.

Slowly after waiting until the area was relatively clear she made her way up to the stone. Her eyes searched and searched until she found the small print of his name.

All that was left of such a powerful presence in her life was a small name etching into stone and her memories.

She reached out to touch it, but as the pads of her finger almost brushed the cold material of the rock she pulled back and held her hand tightly to her chest. All she could do right now was stare at his name.

The familiar sniffling she had listened to for the past few hours broke through her ears and she slowly turned around.

There behind her stood the quivering form of Hinata. Her cheeks wet with tears.

She looked so alone and lost.

Tenten reached her hand out and patted Hinata softly on the shoulder. The young woman looked at her with sorrowful pale eyes that made her heart ache in embrace of a similar pair that would never look at her again.

She opened her mouth as if to say it would all be okay, but she couldn't. It wouldn't be okay, not for a long time.

Tenten closed her mouth and gave Hinata another pat on the shoulder before making her way back to Lee.

None of this was okay.

**.:Acceptance:.**

"He loved you."

Tenten didn't have to turn around to know who it was. She didn't bother looking as Hinata came to stand beside her at the memorial stone.

Sixteen years.

It had been sixteen years since the day she stood here beside Lee as they memorialized the fallen shinobi of the fourth Great War. Sixteen years since she had seen his face or heard his voice.

Sixteen long years.

"In his own way, of course, but I always knew that he loved you more than he ever might have said." Hinata's voice was soft and seemed to blow away with the passing wind.

Tenten looked to her side to see the now older woman with her hair swept up in a neat ponytail and faint smile lines etched into her pale skin. Her pale eyes that never failed to remind Tenten of his, were low and contemplative as she regarded the stone.

"He loved you too," Tenten said finally with a small smile.

Hinata laughed lightly at her words and smiled widely.

"Yes he did, though it did take a while, didn't it?" Hinata nudged Tenten's arm as they both shared a small laugh in his memory.

When the laughter died, Hinata's smile turned wistful.

"He may have loved me, but it wasn't the same as what he felt for you. You were special to him in a way that Naruto is special to me, but even then it was very different. You and he are difficult to describe, I just know that you held a very special place in his heart," Hinata finished as she looked to Tenten who was wearing a dim smile and a far off look in her eyes.

"Why are you telling me this?" Tenten closed her eyes catching the flickering image of a man with broad shoulders and a cocky grin.

"It's been sixteen years," Hinata began slowly. "I always figured you knew, but I think it is time that I shared my thoughts with you. It will never be easy," –Tenten's eyes opened slowly and locked onto the familiar name etched in stone—"It will always hurt just a little bit when you think of him, but it's okay to move on. Moving on doesn't mean forgetting Tenten, it doesn't mean you love him any less. It's okay to be happy. I just wanted to tell you that as a friend."

Tenten's eyes felt wet and her shoulder's began to shake. Hinata came to stand in front of her. Hinata's thin hand came up and patted her on the shoulder.

With a final smile she walked away leaving Tenten alone.

After a moment she took a step forward and reached her arm out. She hesitated only a moment before pressing her fingers over the small grooves of his name.

"Neji…"

She closed her eyes against the breeze that swept past her and she imagined her name leaving his lips one last time in the soft tenor she remembered.

It was going to be okay.

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**What did you think?**

**So I think this is that last one I'm going to put up here, at least for a while. I really wasn't comfortable ending it with chapter six**** because I knew I could do better. I really like this chapter. I think it's a good place to end. I might start a series of happy drabbles with Neji and Tenten, but not for a long while probably.**

**I hope you enjoyed these stories. Thank you for all your kind reviews and support. Please review this final chapter for me:)**

**Lots of love, **

**SBP**

**P.S. Happy Birthday Neji, you are immortalized in the hearts of your fans. We'll always miss you.**


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